Expertise for the non-Expertise for the non-specialist: delivering specialist: delivering

forest-related forest-related information to non-information to non-

forestersforestersChair and organiser:Chair and organiser:

Roger Mills, Oxford University Library Roger Mills, Oxford University Library ServicesServices

Co-ordinator, IUFRO Research Group Co-ordinator, IUFRO Research Group 6.03.00 6.03.00 Information Services and Information Services and

Knowledge OrganizationKnowledge Organization

Forest ResearchForest Research Projects over many decades have produced a wealth of data, Projects over many decades have produced a wealth of data,

published and unpublishedpublished and unpublished Now finding uses in other disciplines Now finding uses in other disciplines

environmental managementenvironmental management climate change assessmentclimate change assessment biodiversity conservationbiodiversity conservation economic planningeconomic planning economicseconomics politicspolitics social sciencesocial science lawlaw

Easy to access with modern technologiesEasy to access with modern technologies data frequently needs processing or harmonisation to make data frequently needs processing or harmonisation to make

it usableit usable Raises many issues of intervention, explanation and training Raises many issues of intervention, explanation and training

which fall partly or wholly on the library and information which fall partly or wholly on the library and information sector sector

Today’s workshopToday’s workshop

Highlight some of the issuesHighlight some of the issuesPresent case studiesPresent case studiesDiscuss what we can do to ensure Discuss what we can do to ensure

that users unfamiliar with the that users unfamiliar with the forestry subject area can make best forestry subject area can make best use of available datause of available data

Make a ‘wish list’ for future action – Make a ‘wish list’ for future action – in IUFRO, IAALD, other fora in IUFRO, IAALD, other fora

Trees grow slowlyTrees grow slowly

Not like cabbages – generations Not like cabbages – generations needed for controlled studyneeded for controlled study

No equivalent to No equivalent to RothamstedRothamsted experiments experiments – started in 1843 and – started in 1843 and still goingstill going

Majority of forest studies carried out Majority of forest studies carried out for a particular end and data for a particular end and data collection not primary purposecollection not primary purpose

Data gatheringData gathering

Traditionally:Traditionally:Field trialsField trialsGather dataGather dataAnalyse on paperAnalyse on paperPublish conclusionsPublish conclusionsData stays in a drawerData stays in a drawer

Early computingEarly computing

Data on tapes, Data on tapes, punched cards etcpunched cards etc

Physically managed Physically managed by central by central computing unitscomputing units

Data preserved Data preserved though may not be though may not be fully catalogued or fully catalogued or readable long termreadable long term

Modern computingModern computing

Gathered on portable devicesGathered on portable devicesAnalysed on PCAnalysed on PCStored on removable mediaStored on removable mediaNo central responsibility, existence No central responsibility, existence

known only to researcherknown only to researcherUnknown, unreachable, unreadableUnknown, unreachable, unreadableSo data is recompiledSo data is recompiled

Forest dataForest data

Time dependent, not repeatableTime dependent, not repeatableTime series important: significant Time series important: significant

variations may occur over relatively variations may occur over relatively short periodsshort periods

Essential to preserve all historical Essential to preserve all historical data we candata we can

Impact of webImpact of web

Preserving data in a mediated library Preserving data in a mediated library allows delivery with health warningsallows delivery with health warnings

Make it web-accessible leaves open Make it web-accessible leaves open to misinterpretationto misinterpretation

But harmonised data useful in many But harmonised data useful in many non-forestry contextsnon-forestry contexts

Problem lies in the harmonisationProblem lies in the harmonisation

DBHDBH

Diameter at Breast HeightDiameter at Breast HeightHow high is your breast?How high is your breast?

1.3m (4’3”) (USA etc)1.3m (4’3”) (USA etc)1.4m (4’6”) (UK etc)1.4m (4’6”) (UK etc)1.5m (for ornamental trees).1.5m (for ornamental trees).

Decimal conversions also introduce Decimal conversions also introduce variations: 4’6” is more accurately variations: 4’6” is more accurately 1.37m. 1.37m.

A little knowledge is a dangerous A little knowledge is a dangerous thingthing

Adding stats for DBH from different Adding stats for DBH from different areas without conversion will be areas without conversion will be misleadingmisleading

Can lead to bad decision making Can lead to bad decision making Eg in climatology, basing estimates Eg in climatology, basing estimates

of carbon incorporation on forest of carbon incorporation on forest volumevolume

What’s that got to do with What’s that got to do with librarians?librarians?

Aim to make data readily available to Aim to make data readily available to all who can use it, without restriction all who can use it, without restriction or censorshipor censorship

Internet helps, but aids unintentional Internet helps, but aids unintentional – or intentional – misuse– or intentional – misuse

Answer: better metadata and user Answer: better metadata and user educationeducation

GFISGFIS

Data harmonization originally an aim Data harmonization originally an aim of Global Forest Information Serviceof Global Forest Information Service

Not achieved because of manpower Not achieved because of manpower required to generate extra metadata required to generate extra metadata defining conversion requirements, or defining conversion requirements, or just warning of incompatibilitiesjust warning of incompatibilities

Most data not compiled for Most data not compiled for international use, no funding to international use, no funding to provide metadata at sourceprovide metadata at source

EU to the rescueEU to the rescue

1989 regulations to set up European 1989 regulations to set up European forest and Communication Systemforest and Communication System

““well-structured and relaiable forest well-structured and relaiable forest information at European level”information at European level”

NEFIS: Network for a European Forest NEFIS: Network for a European Forest Information Service 2003-5Information Service 2003-5

http://www.efi.int/portal/project/nefishttp://www.efi.int/portal/project/nefis

Into operationInto operation

European Forest Information and European Forest Information and Communication Platform (EFICP)Communication Platform (EFICP)

http://eficp-info.jrc.it/http://eficp-info.jrc.it/Long gestation commonLong gestation common

Political requirementPolitical requirementDevelopment of prototypeDevelopment of prototypeStudy problemsStudy problemsDevelopment of production systemDevelopment of production system

Now 19 years since original RegulationNow 19 years since original Regulation

Use it or lose itUse it or lose it

Communicate existence of systemCommunicate existence of system Make it easy to use and reliableMake it easy to use and reliable Must save user’s timeMust save user’s time NEFIS project illuminates problemsNEFIS project illuminates problems Many relate to librarians’ traditionbal Many relate to librarians’ traditionbal

expertiseexpertise TerminologyTerminology ClassificationClassification Quality assessmentQuality assessment SearchabilitySearchability InteroperabilityInteroperability High-quality metadataHigh-quality metadata

Iterative developmentIterative development

Distribute technology favours new Distribute technology favours new uses/users for existing datauses/users for existing data

Infrastructure needs:Infrastructure needs: Advanced spatio-temporal data collection and Advanced spatio-temporal data collection and

information managementinformation management Dissemination and fusion of heterogeneous Dissemination and fusion of heterogeneous

distributed informationdistributed information Sophisticated analysis, modeling and Sophisticated analysis, modeling and

visualization of informationvisualization of information Designed to outlive current softwareDesigned to outlive current software

Cf BioinformaticsCf Bioinformatics

Single information system holds:Single information system holds:Sequencing dataSequencing dataTools for annotationTools for annotationTools for analysisTools for analysisPublications resulting from analysisPublications resulting from analysis

E.g. NCBI E.g. NCBI http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

An integrated system for An integrated system for forestry?forestry?

Much wider variety of data typesMuch wider variety of data typesMuch wider community of usersMuch wider community of usersAnd of technical infrastructureAnd of technical infrastructureNCBI model bridges data acquisition, NCBI model bridges data acquisition,

analysis and curationanalysis and curationPublishing models increasingly Publishing models increasingly

incorporate raw data source with incorporate raw data source with peer-reviewed researchpeer-reviewed research

Publishing dataPublishing data

Author complies dataset containing Author complies dataset containing forest cover statistics spanning forest cover statistics spanning multiple jurisdictions and century-multiple jurisdictions and century-long time serieslong time series

Data acquisition and harmonisation Data acquisition and harmonisation methods recorded in metadatamethods recorded in metadata

Publishes package so data remains Publishes package so data remains available long-term for use or further available long-term for use or further analysis by others, retrievable analysis by others, retrievable alongside journal articels alongside journal articels

Open AccessOpen Access

Non-subscription environment to ensure Non-subscription environment to ensure wide availabilitywide availability

Requires new approach to resaerch Requires new approach to resaerch fundingfunding

And long-term funding for data curationAnd long-term funding for data curation That role likely to fall on library communityThat role likely to fall on library community

Business and technical expertise in archiving Business and technical expertise in archiving Developing and supporting integration and Developing and supporting integration and

interoperability toolsinteroperability tools Online repositoriesOnline repositories

Developing standardsDeveloping standards

NEFIS datasets too different to NEFIS datasets too different to achieve interoperabilityachieve interoperability

Demonstrated needDemonstrated needEU European Interoperability EU European Interoperability

Framework 2004Framework 2004TechnicalTechnicalSemantic [precise meaning]Semantic [precise meaning]OrganizationalOrganizational

Last two most challengingLast two most challenging

Semantic interoperabilitySemantic interoperability

Descriptive metadataDescriptive metadata Controlled vocabulariesControlled vocabularies OntologiesOntologies User-nominated terms – requires editorUser-nominated terms – requires editor

TaggingTagging QualityQuality

AccuracyAccuracy Logical consistencyLogical consistency CompletenessCompleteness Positional accuracyPositional accuracy LineageLineage

Non-censorious indication – ‘quality report’Non-censorious indication – ‘quality report’

Data locationData location Provider’s serverProvider’s server Or central?Or central? If local, owner responsible for metadata managementIf local, owner responsible for metadata management Interoperability requires metadata on:Interoperability requires metadata on:

Protocols for query translationProtocols for query translation Mapping of filed labelsMapping of filed labels Field contentsField contents Backround informationBackround information Associated filesAssociated files Realed IPRRealed IPR Required executablesRequired executables Language and character setLanguage and character set Access control mechanismsAccess control mechanisms

Standards to be agreed so all new compilations and Standards to be agreed so all new compilations and reloaded legacy data have this informationreloaded legacy data have this information

NEFIS DemonstratorNEFIS Demonstrator

No data harmonizationNo data harmonization Showed feasability of retrieving and Showed feasability of retrieving and

analysing data for a single request to analysing data for a single request to multiple servers in multiple countriesmultiple servers in multiple countries

Comprises:Comprises: Resource discovery toolkit – searches metadataResource discovery toolkit – searches metadata Remote search demonstrator – managing data Remote search demonstrator – managing data

retrieval form multiple sourcesretrieval form multiple sources Visualisation toolkit (VTK) – naïve and expert Visualisation toolkit (VTK) – naïve and expert

modelling of retrieved datamodelling of retrieved data

EDAEDA

Exploratory Data AnalysisExploratory Data AnalysisUnbiased examination of data to detect Unbiased examination of data to detect

patterns, trends, relationships rather patterns, trends, relationships rather than answer preconceived questionthan answer preconceived question

Mirrors bioinformatics approachMirrors bioinformatics approachNEFIS data specially preparedNEFIS data specially preparedAdoption of common standards could Adoption of common standards could

allow development of VTK with no need allow development of VTK with no need for human intervention in preparing datafor human intervention in preparing data

Librarians are keyLibrarians are key

In:In: Curating dataCurating data Developing and supporting implementation of Developing and supporting implementation of

standardsstandards Ensuring ready access to dataEnsuring ready access to data Promoting usePromoting use

Universal Data Control – UDC…Universal Data Control – UDC… It’s classification, Captain, but not as we It’s classification, Captain, but not as we

know it… or maybe it is! know it… or maybe it is! So let’s do it….So let’s do it….